The start of a new year means it’s time to sign up for some reading challenges. This one is a no-brainer – the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge hosted by Marg at The Intrepid Reader. As well as indulging my love of historical fiction, I like sharing reviews and recommendations with other fans of the genre. And Marg also compiles fascinating statistics about the books read by participants each month.
You can find full details of the 2026 challenge here, including where to post your reviews each month, but the main idea is to choose one of six different reading levels to aim for:
20th Century Reader – 2 books
Victorian Reader – 5 books
Renaissance Reader – 10 books
Medieval – 15 books
Ancient History – 25 books
Prehistoric – 50+ books
I read over 60 historical fiction novels in 2025 which makes me officially ‘Prehistoric’. Given historical fiction is my favourite genre, it makes sense to aim for Prehistoric level once again. I already have my eye on some of the books in my TBR pile (see below). If you enjoy historical fiction or would just like to read more of the genre, why not join me and sign up?
What Cathy Read Next... 